The Four Founders at Hogwarts
by LoopyandLovely
Summary: What would the four founders be like if they were born into recent times? A fic where Helga, Rowena, Salazar and Godric attend Hogwarts as students.
1. Train Journey

**Okay so, I decided that it would be cool to write a fic about the founders and what they'd be like in our times. It's a bit stupid because if they were born in our times then there'd be no Hogwarts to attend and such... But forget about the logic for a while, okay? Let's pretend that someone else built Hogwarts. Also I've given them all different last names, because otherwise it could get a bit odd, but I'll try not to use those too much. Anyway, here's Chapter One.**

Helga had told her mum that she was a little bit nervous about her first day at Hogwarts. And by a little bit, she meant a lot. What if the other children didn't like her? What if she was sorted into Slytherin? She bit her lip as she sat down in an empty carriage, determined to pull herself together. She was of average height but folded her arms over her stomach as she spotted a tall black haired girl walk past her carriage, she was painfully aware that she was bigger than the rest of the girls here.

Rowena couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts. Just thinking of all the classes and the spells and the experienced teachers made her smile. She was a tall girl for her age, with long shining black hair, full lips and dark eyelashes. She got a lot of glances from boys, one of whom was Salazar.

Sitting in his carriage with old friends who he'd known from before Hogwarts, Salazar was struck by the beauty of the dark haired girl, and he wondered why he'd never seen her before. She wasn't a Mudblood was she? No. No one who looked like that was a Mudblood. He smirked, he was a Slytherin, or at least he would be soon, and he'd be more than happy for her to join him there.

"What're you smiling at?" One of his oldest friends, Godric, asked him.

"She was hot."

"We're only eleven Salazar."

Salazar shrugged. "I can still admire can't I?"

Godric rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Back in Helga's carriage, she was still alone, until the black haired witch she'd seen earlier came back, and sat down.

"Hope you don't mind," she said, her voice light but firm at the same time, "Everywhere else is full." And then she went on to pull a book from her lap and began reading.

Helga spent most of the train ride trying to convince herself to say something to the girl, but she looked too emerged in her book and Helga really didn't want to disturb her.

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><p><strong>Reviews are greatly appreciated!<strong>


	2. A Full Set

**Two**

**A Full Set**

The two girls had changed into their robes upon Rowena's suggestion about ten minutes before the train pulled up at the station. Helga stood up as the train stopped, grasping the compartment rail tightly so as to not fall over. She was halfway out of the compartment when she realised the dark haired girl hadn't moved.

"Um, we're here," she said and Rowena lifted her head with a slight frown, as if wondering how they'd arrived so quickly before standing in one fluent movement and placing her book back into her bag. They headed down the crowded carriage together and Helga finally plucked up the courage to introduce herself.

"I'm Helga, by the way. Helga Brown."

Rowena nodded. "I'm Rowena Ravenscroft."

Helga laughed and Rowena looked taken aback – "What?"

"Even your name sounds ethereal."

Rowena's mouth turned up in a half smile as they forced their way out onto the train station. On solid ground both girls stopped and looked around them, lost. They were surrounded by what seemed like a never ending sea of students, most of whom were taller and older than them. Rowena was watching them with a sort of awe while Helga was more worried about how they were ever going to make their way through the masses and towards that giant man who was yelling loudly "Firs' years this way!" They were pushed forwards by a forceful group of teens behind them who were trying to get off the train and eventually found themselves stood in the centre of the platform, while people milled around them. Rowena wasn't particularly bothered about moving and was happy to let everyone else move before they made their way to the boats, but Helga fretted.

"What if they leave without us?"

"I'm sure they know how many new students they're meant to have," reassured Rowena, "they'll wait for us. It's not as though any of the other new students will be able to get through either."

As it turned out, she was right, when they did eventually get through they were still among the first to arrive at the boats.

"In ye get," said the man who was easily four times the size of Helga, pointing at a few boats floating on a lake.

The two girls clambered into the nearest boat, which was occupied by two other first years who seemed to have also been apt in battling their way to the boats. One of them, a boy with red-tinged hair was smiling at his friend who stared at the two girls as they climbed into the boat, paying particular attention to Rowena.

"Yes?" she asked, feeling rather intrigued by this pale faced, pale haired boy's attention.

He smirked and looked away. "Nothing."

Rowena frowned before holding out a hand to the other boy, "I'm Rowena Ravenscroft and this is Helga Brown."

The boy took her hand, "I'm Godric, Godric Goldsberg," he said before letting go and moving to shake hands with Helga.

Rowena held out her hand again, a small smile beginning to play on her face, this time to the pale haired boy who had been staring at her earlier. He, however looked away and stared across the river, ignoring her except for taking a moment to say, with a small smirk on his own face, "and my name's Salazar Demonyo."

Rowena laughed, the tinkering sound echoing across the lake. "Well then. A full set."

Helga and Godric looked puzzled, "What?" they asked at the same time.

Before Rowena could explain, Salazar began, "The original four founders of Hogwarts were named Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. Admittedly because of that, our names aren't exactly uncommon, actually they're just as easy to come across as a name like _'Harry'_ is nowadays, but still. It's quite the coincidence that we're all in the same boat."

Rowena nodded. "Exactly."

Godric smiled. "It will be even better if we're all in the right corresponding houses," he said, "personally from what I've heard, I'm hoping for Gryffindor, so we'll see."

"I will be a Slytherin," Salazar declared, not a hint of doubt in his voice, just before Rowena could say, "I think I will be a Ravenclaw."

Helga spoke for the first time since climbing on board, "well, I don't know much about Hogwarts apart from what I've read but I was hoping to be in the same house as Rowena. I don't think it really matters which house you're in, though I don't see why you would want to be in Slytherin."

Salazar laughed but didn't make any remark as all around them boats began to fill up with more first years who appeared to have waited until the platform was entirely empty before bothering to get over to the boats.

"There is one thing I'd like to know though," said Helga, "who's that?" She pointed at the giant man who had called them over to the boats.

"That's Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts, he's also a Care for Magical Creatures teacher," Rowena told her, "He took part in the great battle of Hogwarts and taught when Harry Potter and his friends attended," she continued.

"Is there anything you don't know?" Godric asked.

Salazar snorted. "Please. Anyone with magical parents knows these things. Where have you two been living?"

"I have better things to do in my time than cram away at dusty old books or listen to my dad go on about things that happened more than a decade ago, as for my mum she's a muggle, so she knows even less than me."

Salazar sighed. "It's a shame about your mum."

Godric shrugged. "It's not like it's important."

"Well I don't have magical parents. So it's no surprise that I don't know these things," Helga explained.

"Then how'd you get a name like _Helga_?" Salazar asked in surprise, his face slightly wrinkled. "I can't imagine it being a popular name with muggles."

Helga shrugged. "My parents don't really know why they decided to call me Helga, it's just a name they found online."

"You'd think they'd try and give you a name they at least liked," said Godric.

"I'm sure they do like it," Rowena said, feeling the need to defend Helga after she'd been nice enough to say she wanted to be in her house, especially since Helga being in Ravenclaw didn't seem particularly likely, "And _I_ have magical parents but I still wouldn't have known some of those things. I only know them because I read them in the newest edition of _Hogwarts a History_."

Godric rolled his eyes. "I'll never understand why some people read so much."

Rowena frowned. "Without reading most of the ideas that we have today-"

"Alright! I just meant that it seems boring. Anyway… Why aren't we moving yet?" he asked hurriedly sensing a lecture ahead, just as all around them the boats began to move, sailing across the lake.

"Yer' lucky there ain't a storm like las' year," Hagrid called from the front, "By the time we got to the castle the firs' years looked more like they'd bin swimmin' in the lake than sailin' across it."

There were a few nervous titters from first years in other boats but Helga noted that no one in her boat paid much attention to what Hagrid said. Like herself they were gazing up at the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts castle which had recently come into view behind a thin layer of mist, the castle formed a mystical silhouette against the night sky and everyone in the boats stopped talking as they caught sight of the castle, each having been left speechles.

For Rowena the school represented a place to learn everything she could.

To Helga it represented her home for the following years.

For Godric the castle promised adventure.

And to Salazar the building was a promise of independence, the knowledge that he could prove himself here to be the powerful wizard he knew he was.

.

The boat ride didn't take too long, and the rest of it passed without any more chatter from the four, each caught up in their own thoughts and very much aware of the looming sorting ceremony.

"Mind yer heads!" came Hagrids voice again as they passed under some ivy and along a passage under the castle before finally being able to get off the boats (Helga mentioned that she had started to feel rather sick and the others were worry that she would actually throw up on them).

.

They were guided into a little room next to the Great Hall to be met by the deputy headmaster, in this little room a whole stone wall was inscribed withnames and dates, above which were the words 'Battle of Hogwarts, 1998_ - In memory of those who lost their lives_' and below all of the names and dates were the words '"_We_ _are_ _only_ _as_ _strong_ _as_ _we_ _are_ _united, as weak_ _as_ _we are divided" –__Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts Headmaster 1956- 199__7_"'.

"It's sad isn't it?" the deputy head said upon noticing that most first years were staring at the wall. The mass of first years turned to see a short man, smaller than most of them, stood by the door. "But it's a reminder that although we sort you into separate houses and although there are competitions and rivalry, we are all part of one school. We are all part of one community, the Wizarding Community. We have a responsibility to ourselves and to the muggles. My name is Professor Flitwick, Charms Master, Head of Ravenclaw House and Deputy Headmaster here at Hogwarts. It's nice to meet you all."

There were mumblings among the students who had heard of Flitwick before today and the Professor allowed them a couple of seconds to murmer before opening the grand doors to the Great Hall. "There are four houses here at Hogwarts, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. If you will follow me, it's time for you to be sorted."

**A/N I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! But I finally know where I'm going with this story so hopefully updates should be quick and regular from now on, it just took a trip to the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour to give me back my inspiration (what an AMAZING PLACE it is. I enjoyed myself so much, gaH!). I love reviews more than I love chocolate frogs, and I love chocolate frogs a LOT! (hint).**


	3. The Sorting

**Three**

**The Sorting**

"_Brown, Helga_," called Professor Flitwick from the set of small ladders next to the sorting hat on which he was perched.

Helga took a deep breath and glanced at Rowena who smiled reassuringly, before heading up to the sorting hat. Her heart thumped against her chest and her hand automatically began playing with her hair as she sat down, a nervous trait. She felt the hat touch her head and, before she even had time to panic the word "_Hufflepuff_" rang out across the hall. A few people looked taken aback at how quickly the hat had come to a decision, but after all it wasn't unheard of and so no one wasted anytime in clapping as Helga hopped down from the stool and walked towards the table decked in yellow and black which was full of smiling faces. As she sat down a girl across from her held out a hand "Congratulations," she said, "my name's Felicity. I'm a prefect if you need anything, just ask me."

Helga smiled and thanked the girl just as Professor Flitwick squeaked, "quiet please!" and the Hufflepuff house table fell silent and, after a few more hushed whispers, so did the Slytherin table who were also welcoming a new member. Helga turned back to watch the sorting just in time to see "_Demonvo, Salazar_" hopping onto the sorting stool. Salazar had noticed how quickly the hat placed Helga, proving his theory about her being a Hufflepuff right, and couldn't say he was surprised when the hat just as quickly made its decision about him, he felt a slight brushing on his hair before the hat roared "_Slytherin!_" He arranged his face into a careful smirk before making his way towards the green and silver table where he got a few pats on the back and handshakes from older Slytherin students.

"_Goldsberg, Gryffindor_" and "_Ravenscroft, Rowena_" were both sorted equally as quickly, a slight tickle of their hair before the hat announced "_Gryffindor!"_ and "_Ravenclaw!"_They settled quickly into their house tables, Rowena was excited about her new house, her new house mates and the promise of a common room with a new interesting riddle every time she approached. Godric on the other hand mainly felt proud, and as his housemates began to talk to him, telling him of the house's reputation and achievements his pride at being a part of Gryffindor increased. He couldn't wait to make friends and begin to explore the castle.

"The sorting hat seems unusually confident in itself today," the girl sat next to Godric pointed out, "It doesn't usually make judgements so quickly. There must have been at least three of you who were sorted without the hat even having chance to think about it"

"Well the hat is a skilled _legilimens_, maybe they were just easy people to sort. And there were five of them, not three. Two Slytherins, and then one from each of the other houses," a boy across from them said.

"Yeah well there's always a _Slytherin_. Evil is obviously easy to detect when you're a hat."

The boy nodded, agreeing, "Anyway, I don't see why it's important so shut up. Maggie is about to start talking, it's nearly the time for food."

"_Professor McGonagall_," muttered the girl, "you can't call her _Maggie_ Derek, I know you have a thing against rules, but _Maggie_? Really? That's lame."

Godric laughed and up by the teachers table Professor McGonagall coughed.

"Well, I don't think there are any important announcements, none that can't wait until after the food at least. So, tuck in," she widened her arms and around the hall the tables filled with heaps upon heaps of mouth-watering food.

It didn't take the hundreds of students long to clear the tables of all the food, they were starving after their long journey and Rowena had only just finished hearing descriptions of the Ravenclaw common room before she, like most people in the hall, leant back in her chair, having stuffed herself with all that she could manage.

McGonogall began to talk again, something about forbidden items and places but nobody was really listening, they were too busy dreaming of their warm dormitories and so the entire room heaved a sigh of contentment when they were finally dismissed and prefects were told to guide students to their dormitories. A good night's sleep in warm beds with full stomachs called them all as they left the hall and thus they were all too tired to worry about the first week of school which began tomorrow.

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><p>Salazar bent over his cauldron, clouds of blue fumes tunnelling upwards covering his face as he stirred and frowned in thought, occasionally pausing to add a new ingredient or two. Rowena watched him curiously from across the room, her mouth turning upwards at the corner in a smile as she observed him experimenting. She herself was a very capable witch, she hadn't come across any potions that she couldn't do yet anyway, although admittedly she had been practising at home for years. Salazar on the other hand, well... He wasn't precise, he didn't seem the type to have spent time inside on potions when there were quidditch matches to be played and spells to be cast, but his flair was incredible and even though this was only the second potion they'd ever been allowed to attempt in class she couldn't help but admire the way that he worked. Not only that but although they'd only been allowed to try two so far in class, his had come out just as well as hers, if not better.<p>

With one final flick of his wrist Salazar finished his potion and looked up and met Rowena's eyes. She smiled. "Just admiring your potions work"

He nodded back at her, his grey eyes showing no particular emotion. "I've noticed that you're not too bad yourself. Brains and beauty, eh? There must be something about you that lets you down...You're not a mudblood are you?"

Rowena frowned. "Mudblood? That's not a word you hear too often these days. But no, I'm not muggle born. Not that it matters. Anyone with any brain cells has seen the studies that show that magical heritage has absolutely nothing to do with magical ability."

Salazar laughed and shook his head, his hair flipping slightly in a way that you could tell he thought was cool. "That's what they want you to think. See you later, Ravenscroft." With that he packed up his books and left the classroom, leaving behind his cauldron and ingredients, something that would surely earn him detention had he not so obviously expected Rowena to clean up behind him. Well he was in for a surprise. Rowena felt no obligation to help him out and after clearing up her own things swooped out of the room leaving behind Salazar's things. Arrogance, she thought, was not an attractive trait.

The rest of the week passed relatively without incident for Rowena, Helga on the other hand was not finding her classes quite so easy. Transfiguration proved to be extremely difficult for her and Helga couldn't help but feel disappointed when they were told only in the second lesson that they were to put their theory into action. She had expected there to be more time spent learning the theory and knew she would be unable to cast the spell. She looked around her at all the others, ready and rearing to go, wands poised, excited at being able to try out magic. She bet they'd be able to do it too, she was painfully aware that most of her class had magical parents and had been brought up doing magic since being babies. It wasn't fair, and surely it wasn't safe to let a load of first years loose with spells on only their second day? Talk about learning to fly before you can walk. She sighed, poised her wand, repeated the movement they'd been practising and repeated the correct words, nothing. Around her, though, everyone was having the same issue and she didn't feel too downhearted. In fact, she felt fine, if doubtful, until the next day, when one by one her classmates seemed to be getting a hang of the spell. Finally, it came to a point where everyone but her and this one other boy had figured the spell out and could cast it with relative ease while hers still proved utterly useless.

"I can't do it," she sighed to the professor when he asked if there was anything wrong.

Professor Regant laughed. "You're a witch, you're just as capable as everyone else here."

"Then why did Godric get his spell perfect practically the second he walked into the room? There's no point professor, I'm hopeless."

Godric moved from across the room to stand next to her. "There's no point in beating yourself up about it," he said, and then to the Professor, "No worries professor I'll help Helga out, she just needs some confidence, you go and help Rodger."

Professor Regant nodded and headed over to Rodger rather resignedly, as if she'd hoped to avoid having to do so (Rodger had succeeded in blowing his button up three times already, a fate which Professor Regant said was remarkable since they were 'safety' buttons for inexperienced wizards and weren't supposed to be able to blow up).

Amazingly, it turned out that Godric was right, with that little bit more confidence that having Godric stood next to her gave her, and some serious focus,she managed to get her spell right and left the class with a strong feeling of satisfaction. Godric also seemed happy as he left the classroom, "I was afraid she was going to make me help Rodger if I didn't volunteer to help you," he laughed. "The poor boy's hopeless." Helga smiled. "Hopeless," she repeated before flushing red as she recognised Rodger's rather upset face just beside Godric, pushing his way forward, obviously having overheard the remark. She sighed. Why was it that she couldn't seem to do anything right? She tried to hurry after him but Godric held her back, "Leave it, it's true, anyway I bet he'd be upset anyway after that class and we'll be the last people he wants to see." Helga hesitated and then stepped back into pace with Godric. "I guess you're right," she nodded.

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><p><strong>AN Well. This chapter took longer than expected, it got off to a slow start and it didn't really turn out like I wanted to either...But there are a couple of bits that I think are okay. I'd like your opinions please, reviews! Meanwhile I shall start on chapter four, I'm looking forward to getting bits of the main plot into the story soon.**

_**And, in reply to 'Guest': "**So Godric is Jewish? Interesting... So let's see what happens..."_

_**Well, I don't imagine him as Jewish I just liked the last name Goldsberg...But if you like then you can imagine him as Jewish, I don't think it'll make too much difference to the story...**_


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